U.S. patent number 6,612,450 [Application Number 09/801,338] was granted by the patent office on 2003-09-02 for reversible cap.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Van Blarcom Closures, Inc.. Invention is credited to Caetano Buono.
United States Patent |
6,612,450 |
Buono |
September 2, 2003 |
Reversible cap
Abstract
A cap and container for providing a child resistant closure by
engaging one side of the cap with the container, and providing a
non-child resistant closure by engaging another side of the cap
with the container. The child resistant closure includes a wall and
a bounding outer skirt having a tab formed therein. A pair of tangs
are supported on a distal end of the tab on the child resistant
closure side of the cap. The tangs engage a lip formed on a mouth
flange of the container when the child resistant closure side of
the cap is forced against the flange, for engaging the tang with
the lip and securing the cap to the container. An inner skirt
formed on the non-child resistant closure side of the cap is spaced
from the outer skirt to form a friction fit with the mouth
flange.
Inventors: |
Buono; Caetano (Brooklyn,
NY) |
Assignee: |
Van Blarcom Closures, Inc.
(Brooklyn, NY)
|
Family
ID: |
27766524 |
Appl.
No.: |
09/801,338 |
Filed: |
March 7, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
215/228; 215/225;
220/281; 220/326 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
41/0414 (20130101); B65D 50/046 (20130101); B65D
2215/02 (20130101); B65D 2251/09 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
41/04 (20060101); B65D 50/00 (20060101); B65D
50/04 (20060101); B65D 050/08 () |
Field of
Search: |
;215/209,213,214,216,224,225,228,245,317,321 ;220/326,281,212 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Newhouse; Nathan J.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Cohen, Pontani, Lieberman &
Pavane
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A combination of a container and a reversible cap, comprising: a
container having a body, a neck connected to the body and defining
a mouth at one end, and a radial flange proximate the mouth; and a
reversible cap having a child resistant closure formed on a first
side, and a non-child resistant closure formed on a second side,
the reversible cap having; a circular wall separating the child
resistant closure from the non-child resistant closure; an outer
skirt bounding the circular wall, a portion of the outer skirt
defining a tab having a first end and a second end, the tab being
pivotally connected to one of the wall and the outer skirt to
provide for outward radial movement of the first end relative to
the outer skirt upon application of a force to the second end of
the tab, the tab having a first tang movable therewith and mounted
proximate the first end of the tab and extending radially inwardly;
a second tang mounted proximate an edge of the outer skirt on the
first side of the cap substantially opposite the tab and extending
radially inwardly, the first and second tangs being releasably
engageable under the radial flange when the child resistant closure
is positioned over the mouth and forced against the radial flange;
and an inner skirt attached to the wall on the second side of the
cap and radially displaced from and concentric with the outer skirt
for defining an engagement region between the inner and outer
skirts, the engagement region being dimensioned for a friction fit
with the radial flange when the non-child resistant closure is
positioned over the mouth and forced against the radial flange, the
wall covering the mouth of the container when the child resistant
closure on the first side of the cap is secured to the container
and when the non-child resistant closure on the second side of the
cap is secured to the closure wherein the first tang comprises a
pair of tangs.
2. A combination of a container and a cap, comprising: a container
having a body, a neck connected to the body and defining a mouth at
one end, and a radial flange proximate the mouth; and a cap having
a circular wall, and an outer skirt bounding the circular wall for
forming a child resistant closure on a first side of the wall, the
outer skirt defining only a single tab having a first end and a
second end, the tab being pivotally connected to one of the outer
skirt and the wall to provide for outward radial movement of the
first end of the tab relative to the outer skirt upon application
of a force to the second end of the tab, the tab having a first
tang movable therewith and mounted proximate the first end of the
tab and extending radially inwardly a second tang mounted proximate
an edge of the outer skirt on the first side of the wall
substantially opposite the tab and extending radially inwardly, the
first and second tangs being releasably engageable under the radial
flange when the cap is positioned over the mouth and forced against
the flange, the wall covering the mouth of the container when the
cap is secured to the container.
3. The combination of claim 2, wherein the radial flange is tapered
outwardly from top to bottom for facilitating coupling of the child
resistant closure to the container.
4. The combination of claim 3, wherein an outer edge of the radial
flange comprises an engagement lip for securing the first and
second tangs to the container when the child resistant closure is
positioned over the mouth and forced against the radial flange so
that the first and second tangs clear the tapered region.
5. The combination of claim 2, wherein the outer skirt, wall and
tab are integrally formed.
6. The combination of claim 5, wherein the first tang comprises a
pair of tangs.
7. The combination of claim 2, wherein the container further
comprises an annular shelf positioned on the neck and spaced below
the flange for forming a receiving area between the flange and the
annular shelf, the first and second tangs seating in the receiving
area when the child resistant closure is positioned over the mouth
and forced against the flange.
8. The combination of claim 2, wherein the cap further comprises a
non-child resistant closure formed on a second side of the top
wall, the non-child resistant closure comprising an inner skirt
attached to the second side of the top wall and radially displaced
from and concentric width the outer skirt for defining an
engagement region between the inner and outer skirts, the
engagement region being dimensioned for a friction fit with the
flange when the non-child resistant closure is positioned over the
mouth and forced against the flange.
9. A reversible cap having a first side for forming a child
resistant enclosure with a container, and a second side for forming
a non-child resistant enclosure with the container, the container
being of the type having a body, a neck connected to the body and
defining a mouth, at one end, and a radial flange proximate the
mouth, the cap comprising: a circular wall separating the child
resistant closure from the non-child resistant closure; an outer
skirt bounding the circular wall, a portion of the outer skirt
defining a tab having a first end and a second end, the tab being
pivotally connected to one of the wall and the outer skirt to
provide for outward radial movement of the first end relative to
the outer skirt upon application of a force to the second end of
the tab, the tab having a first tang movable therewith and mounted
proximate the first end of the tab and extending radially inwardly;
a second tang mounted proximate an edge of the outer skirt on the
first side of the cap substantially opposite the tab and extending
radially inwardly, the first and second tangs being releasably
engageable under the radial flange when the child resistant closure
is positioned over the mouth and forced against the radial flange;
and an inner skirt attached to the wall on a second side of the
wall and radially displaced from and concentric with the outer
skirt for defining an engagement region between the inner and outer
skirts, the engagement region being dimensioned for a friction fit
with the radial flange when the second side of the cap is
positioned over the mouth and forced against the radial flange
wherein the first tang comprises a pair of tangs.
10. A combination of a container and a reversible cap, comprising:
a container having a body, a neck connected to the body and
defining a mouth at one end, and a radial flange proximate the
mouth; and a reversible cap having a child resistant closure formed
on a first side, and a non-child resistant closure formed on a
second side, the reversible cap having; a circular wall separating
the child resistant closure from the non-child resistant closure;
an outer skirt bounding the circular wall, a portion of the outer
skirt defining a tab having a first end and a second end, the tab
being pivotally connected to one of the wall and the outer skirt to
provide for outward radial movement of the first end relative to
the outer skirt upon application of a force to the second end of
the tab, the tab having a first tang movable therewith and mounted
proximate the first end of the tab and extending radially inwardly;
a second tang mounted proximate an edge of the outer skirt on the
first side of the cap substantially opposite the tab and extending
radially inwardly, the first and second tangs being releasably
engageable under the radial flange when the child resistant closure
is positioned over the mouth and forced against the radial flange;
and an inner skirt attached to the wall on the second side of the
cap and radially displaced from and concentric with the outer skirt
for defining an engagement region between the inner and outer
skirts, the engagement region being dimensioned for a friction fit
with the radial flange when the non-child resistant closure is
positioned over the mouth and forced against the radial flange, the
wall covering the mouth of the container when the child resistant
closure on the first side of the cap is secured to the container
and when the non-child resistant closure on the second side of the
cap is secured to the closure, wherein the radial flange is tapered
outwardly from top to bottom for facilitating coupling of the child
resistant closure to the container, wherein the reversible cap
further comprises an inner ring attached to an inner surface of the
outer skirt and positioned on the first side of the cap in space
relation from the second tang with the flange seating between the
inner ring and the second tang when the child resistant closure is
secured to the container.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to a child-resistant cap and container
and, more particularly, to a cap having a child resistant closure
on one side and a non-child resistant closure on another side, with
both closures being capable of engaging a container.
2. Description of the Related Art
Numerous child-resistant mechanisms for preventing access to
containers storing dangerous substances such as medicine, household
cleaners, poisons or the like are known. Most, however, are
complicated in design which drives up the cost of manufacturing the
caps and containers. Also, typical child-resistant containers are
often difficult to open as they require a user to exert an
appreciable amount of force while simultaneously engaging in a
sequence of complex manipulative movements to release the cap
closure mechanism. Such exertion, even for small containers (such
as pill bottles) require two-handed manipulation of the closure and
cap by the user. For these reasons, many child-resistant mechanisms
are unsuitable for physically feeble persons such as the elderly
and the sick.
For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,989,152 and 4,149,646 to Julian
disclose a child-resistant cap having a tab provided in the bottom
of the skirt of the cap, and a container having an abutment
disposed at the neck of the container for locking engagement with
the tab. A user is required to squeeze or flex the entire skirt
while twisting the cap off so as to deflect the tab inward and
around the abutment at the container neck. Such squeezing action
would require an appreciable amount of force which may not be
available to a physically feeble user.
Another example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,413,742 to Sandhaus discloses a
cap having a tab that is frictionally receivable in a recess
defined in the neck of the container. To remove the cap, the user
is required to push out the hinged tab by, for example, depressing
the top of the cap. To reinstall the cap over the container, the
user must thread the cap onto the container neck and realign the
tab with the recess in the neck.
In still another example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,014 to House et al.
discloses a child-resistant closure having a ratchet type
mechanism. The cap includes a tab notched in the depending skirt of
the cap. The tab is movable in the radially outward direction and
has a pawl extending from a bottom surface of the tab. A plurality
of recesses are formed at the neck of the container for receiving
the pawl. Thus, as a user threads the cap onto the container neck,
the pawl is brought into ratchet engagement with the recesses in
the neck. To open the container, a user is required to pivot the
tab and the pawl radially outwardly so as to remove the pawl from
the recess received therein. This ratchet type mechanism is complex
in design and expensive to manufacture. Furthermore, this design
does not provide the requisite positive locking unless the user
screws the cap on with adequate force so that the pawl is
sufficiently received in one of recesses.
Other child-resistant closures are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
5,449,077 Seidler; U.S. Pat. No. 6,161,711 Miceli et al; U.S. Pat.
No. 4,480,762 Thomas; U.S. Pat. No. 5,740,933 Conti et al; U.S.
Pat. No. 4,406,376 Berghahn; U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,756 Johnson; U.S.
Pat. No. 4,103,797 Morris; U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,013 Miller et al.;
U.S. Pat. No. 3,703,975 Wittemer; U.S. Pat. No. 4,573,281 Fillmore;
U.S. Pat. No. 3,642,161 Stroud; U.S. Pat. No. 4,526,281 Herr; U.S.
Pat. No. 5,460,281 Rapchak et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,013
Miller et al. While some of these patents disclose reversible caps,
none teaches the use of a safety cap having a single tab for
one-hand manipulation, or a reversible snap-cap having a child
safety closure and a non-child safety closure incorporating the
structure of the present invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a reversible cap for engaging
a container. The container has a body and a neck defining a mouth,
with a flange formed at the mouth of the container. The reversible
cap has a child resistant closure formed on a first side, and a
non-child resistant closure formed on a second side, which closures
are segregated from each other by a dividing wall positioned
between the child resistant and non-child resistant closures. An
outer skirt bounds the dividing wall and includes a fixed tang
mounted proximate an edge of the outer skirt on the first side of
the cap. The fixed tang extends radially inward toward the center
of the cap. A portion of the outer skirt defines a tab having a
first end and a second end. The tab is pivotally connected to the
outer skirt to provide for outward radial movement of the first end
relative to the outer skirt upon application of a pushing force to
the second end of the tab. The tab includes moveable tangs mounted
proximate the first end of the tab which extend radially inward
toward the center of the cap. The fixed and moveable tangs are
releasably engageable with the flange when the child resistant
closure is positioned over the mouth and forced against the
flange.
In a preferred embodiment, an inner skirt is attached to the
dividing wall and disposed on the second side of the cap radially
displaced from the outer skirt to form a receiving area between the
outer skirt and the inner skirt. The receiving area forms a
friction fit with the flange when the non-child resistant closure
is positioned over the mouth and forced against the flange.
Other objects and features of the present invention will become
apparent from the following detailed description considered in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood,
however, that the drawings are designed solely for purposes of
illustration and not as a definition of the limits of the
invention, for which reference should be made to the appended
claims. It should be further understood that the drawings are not
necessarily drawn to scale and that, unless otherwise indicated,
they are merely intended to conceptually illustrate the structures
and procedures described herein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings, wherein like reference characters denote similar
elements throughout the several views:
FIG. 1a is a perspective view of an embodiment of the reversible
cap and container, depicting a child resistant enclosure of the cap
constructed in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 1b is a perspective view of an embodiment of the reversible
cap and container, depicting a non-child resistant enclosure of the
cap constructed in accordance with the present invention;
FIGS. 2a-2c depict cross-sectional views of different stages of
engagement of a child resistant closure with the container;
FIG. 3 depicts a cross-sectional view of a non-child resistant
closure of the cap in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the non-child
resistant closure engaged with the container;
FIG. 5 depicts a bottom plan view of the child resistant closure
cap in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention;
FIG. 6 depicts a one-hand operation of the inventive cap by a user;
and
FIG. 7 depicts another embodiment of the reversible cap.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
A closure in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the
present invention is shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b and includes a cap 10
and a container 40. The cap and container are designed to provide a
non-threaded, snap-fit coupling therebetween to enclose contents,
such as pharmaceuticals, within the container 40. The cap 10 is
configured to provide two types of closures, namely, a child
resistant closure 12 (shown in FIG. 1a) and a non-child resistant
closure 14 (shown in FIG. 1b). The closures are separated from each
other by a dividing wall 22 which serves to cover the mouth of the
container 40 and which is bounded by and connected to an outer
skirt 16 having a first end 17 on the child resistant closure side
of the cap and a second end 19 on the non-child resistant closure
side of the cap. The outer skirt is preferably integrally formed
with the wall 22 and has outer surface 18 and an inner surface 20,
with textured ribs 26 formed on the outer surface to facilitate
gripping of the cap by a user.
With continued reference to FIG. 1a, cap 10 has a pair of
longitudinal slots 30 formed in the outer skirt 16 and extending
from ends 17 and 19 which define a tab 36. The tab is separated
from the skirt 16 by the slots but remains connected to the cap via
connection to the dividing wall, i.e. via connection to a portion
of the dividing wall along a rear surface of the tab 36. This
connection forms a flexible joint or fulcrum 34 about which the tab
36 pivots. As shown in FIG. 1a, the tab has a first end 23
coterminous with end 17 of the outer skirt, and a second end 25
coterminous with end 19 of the outer skirt, and supports one or
more tangs 38 which are mounted to the inner surface of the tab
proximate the first end 23. The tangs 38 extend radially inwardly,
as shown, and are movable with the tab 36 such that when a
squeezing force is applied to the second end 25 of the tab for
pivoting the tab about its fulcrum 34, the tangs 18 move radially
outward as shown in FIG. 2b. One or more fixed tangs 39 is provided
on the inner surface of the skirt 16 opposite tangs 38 and
proximate the first end 17 which, like tangs 38, extends radially
inwardly. A preferred positioning of tangs 38 and 39 is shown in
FIG. 5. In an alternate embodiment, an inner skirt 24 integral with
the inner surface 20 of outer skirt 16 and adjacent to the wall 22
is provided, which, along with fixed tang 39, defines an engagement
region 62 for mating with the container 40 as explained below. The
cap and, in particular, the outer skirt 16 is preferably made of a
flexible material (e.g., plastic, etc.) having memory such that
when the tab 36 is pivoted about its fulcrum, it will return to an
initial or rest position (shown in FIG. 1) when the pivoting force
is removed.
It will be readily appreciated by those skill in the art the tab 36
can be, alternatively, pivotally attached to the outer skirt
instead of or in addition to the wall 22 such as by forming the
slots 30 in an appropriate manner to form a pair of connection
hinges that are axially aligned with the outer surface 18 of the
outer skirt 16 (as shown in FIG. 7).
The container 40 includes a hollow body 41 for holding contents
(e.g., pills, etc.), and a neck region 42 defining a mouth 44. The
neck 42 is bounded by a flange 46 positioned proximate the mouth
44, and an annular shelf 50 having an upper surface 52. The flange
46 has an outer surface 47 that is tapered outwardly from a first
end 48 to a second end 49. In a preferred embodiment the annular
shelf 50 extends outwardly from the body 41 beyond the flange 46
(as shown in FIGS. 2a-2c) so that the upper surface 52 functions as
a stop for the child resistant closure 14 as described below.
With reference now to FIGS. 2a-2c, the child resistant closure 12
is engaged with the container 40 by positioning the outer skirt 16
over the flange 46 and pressing downwardly as shown by directional
arrow A. When force is applied, the tapered surface 47 urges tab 36
radially outwardly in a direction shown by arrow C until the tangs
38 and 39 clear the flange 46 whereupon the tangs snap back to
their rest positions and become seated in the neck region 42 as
shown in FIG. 2c. Once so positioned, the tangs engage the end 49
of flange 46 to "lock" the cap to the container, thereby preventing
the contents from being readily accessed. As shown, in the locked
position the first end 17 of the outer skirt seats against upper
surface 52 of shelf 50. If the inner skirt 24 is included to that
the engagement section is present, when the cap 10 is in the locked
position, the flange 46 becomes seated in the engagement section
62.
To remove the child resistant closure 12, a force is applied to the
tab 36, as by a thumb or forefinger, in a direction shown by arrow
B for dislodging the tangs 38 from between the radial shelf 50 and
the flange 46, whereupon an upwardly directed force separates the
cap 10 from the container 40. More particularly, the design of the
inventive cap provides the benefit of allowing single-handed
operation because a user need only apply force against one area of
the cap 10, i.e. against the tab 36, for removal of the cap from
the container 40. Thus, to disengage the child safety closure 12
(i.e. the cap 10) from the container 40, a user can grasp the
container in one hand and apply pressure to the tab 36 with the
user's thumb of the grasping hand. This is illustrated in FIG.
6.
In the preferred embodiment, a visual indicator is provided on the
outer surface of the tab 36 (as shown if FIG. 1) to identify the
tab to a user, i.e., to allow a user to readily locate the tab. The
visual indicator is preferably textured to provide a grip for
further facilitating manipulation of the tab for disengaging the
cap 10 from container 40.
Turning now to FIGS. 1b, 3 and 4, and as explained above, in
addition to the child resistant closure 12, cap 10 preferably
includes a non-child resistant closure 14. This closure includes an
inner skirt 54 formed on the opposite side of dividing wall 22 and
extending upwardly therefrom. Inner skirt 54 is radially displaced
from the outer skirt 16 for defining an annular receiving area 56
therebetween. The width of the receiving area 56 is dimensioned for
a friction fit with the flange 46 when the non-child resistant
closure 14 is engaged with the container 40. More particularly,
when the non-child resistant closure 14 of cap 10 is secured to
container 40, the inner skirt 54 seats within the mouth 44 and the
outer skirt 16 seats outside the edge 49 of flange 46. This allows
the non-child resistant closure to be engaged with the container by
simply pressing down on the cap 10 in a direction shown in FIG. 4
by arrow D. The cap can be likewise removed by pulling or pushing
the cap in a direction opposite arrow D.
Thus, while there have shown and described and pointed out
fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a
preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various
omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of
the devices illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by
those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the
invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all
combinations of those elements which perform substantially the same
function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results
are within the scope of the invention. Moreover, it should be
recognized that structures and/or elements shown and/or described
in connection with any disclosed form or embodiment of the
invention may be incorporated in any other disclosed or described
or suggested form or embodiment as a general matter of design
choice. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as
indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.
* * * * *